§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of households in the United Kingdom were within 4 km of(a) food shops, (b) post offices, (c) cash points, (d) child nurseries, (e) primary schools and (f) GP surgeries in (i) 2000 and (ii) for the latest date for which figures are available. [15905]
§ Alun MichaelIn 2000 the percentage of rural households in England living within 4 km of services was as follows:
Foodshops (supermarkets) 79 per cent., post offices 99 per cent., cash points 79 per cent., primary schools 99 per cent., GP surgeries 86 per cent. Data are not available for child nurseries.
It should be noted that 22 per cent. of rural settlement have a general store (selling a range of household goods including basic foodstuffs) and 28 per cent. have a small village shop (a sole shop selling mainly food).
This is the latest date for which figures are available. The figures for 2001 will be reported on by the Countryside Agency in April 2002. They have a research project for child care in preparation.